15 Respiratory Diseases
15 00 Asthma
15 01 Bronchitis
15 02 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD)
15 03 Dry cough
15 04 Influenza
15 05 MERS-CoV
15 06 SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus disease)
Respiratory or lung diseases are pathological conditions that affect the organs and tissues responsible for gas exchange in air-breathing animals. They range from mild, self-limiting conditions such as the common cold, influenza, and pharyngitis to life-threatening diseases such as bacterial pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, acute asthma, lung cancer, and severe acute respiratory syndromes like COVID-19. Respiratory diseases can be classified in many ways, including by the organ or tissue involved, the type and pattern of associated signs and symptoms, or the cause of the disease.
Understanding the color treatment system is crucial because it can guide you through your treatment journey. Each disease or condition is assigned a unique code that includes a treatment color. This system helps you quickly identify treatment options for your specific condition, empowering you to take control of your health.
Scroll down the site to find your disease or condition. Then, you look for the treatment color. The treatment colors are magenta (red-blue), blue, cyan (blue-green), green, yellow (red-green), and red. I give the treatment colors a number. Magenta = 0, blue = 1, cyan = 2, green = 3, yellow = 4, and red = 5. For instance, Asthma would then be categorized as 15-00-2. Here, the last digit, the treatment color, is cyan. The first two digits are the disease/condition group (Respiratory Diseases are 15). The next two digits (Asthma is 00) are the illness within the group, and the last digit (cyan is 2) is the treatment color. This system helps you quickly identify treatment options for your specific condition.
When you use the projector, click your treatment color to display a large image. Make the color cover the whole page, then project it onto yourself. When you use the spotlight or the LED light bulb, you choose your color manually.
Asthma, a lung disease, is more common than you might think. It is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in children, but adults can also be affected by asthma. Asthma causes wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing at night or in the early morning. If you have asthma, you have it all the time, but asthma attacks occur only when something irritates your lungs.
We don’t know all the causes of asthma, but genetic, environmental, and occupational factors have been linked to its development.
Bronchitis is an infection of the central airways of the lungs (bronchi) that causes irritation and inflammation. As a result, the central airways branch off on either side of your windpipe (trachea).
They lead to smaller airways within your lungs called bronchioles. The walls of the central airways produce mucus to trap dust and other particles that could otherwise cause irritation. Most cases of bronchitis occur when an infection irritates and inflames the airways, prompting them to produce more mucus than usual. Your body attempts to expel this excess mucus by coughing.
Bronchitis is classified into two categories: acute and chronic.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) is a group of diseases and conditions that cause inflammation of the lungs.
Inflammation occurs along the lining of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to the lungs. This causes shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
Although this disease can cause irreversible airway damage, appropriate treatment and prevention strategies can minimize further lung damage.
A cough is a reflex that clears irritants and mucus from your airways. There are two types of coughs: productive and nonproductive.
A productive cough brings up phlegm or mucus and clears it from the lungs. This type of cough is often associated with respiratory infections or conditions such as bronchitis.
A nonproductive cough, or dry cough, does not produce phlegm or mucus. Various factors can cause this type of cough, from allergies to acid reflux; sometimes, there is no apparent cause. Regardless of the reason, an ongoing dry cough can significantly impact your daily life, especially if it worsens at night.
Influenza is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system—the nose, throat, and lungs. It is commonly called the flu, but it’s not the same as the stomach “flu” viruses that cause diarrhea and vomiting.
For most people, the flu resolves on its own. However, influenza and its complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of flu complications include young children under age five, especially those under six months, adults over 65, and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Additionally, pregnant women and those up to two weeks postpartum are at risk, as well as people with chronic illnesses such as asthma, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, and diabetes.
MERS-CoV, or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), is a respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus. Records indicate that the incubation period—two to fourteen days—begins at the time of exposure to the virus and ends when symptoms appear.
MERS-CoV can vary in severity, with some individuals experiencing no symptoms, similar to mild upper respiratory infections. However, MERS-CoV can also lead to respiratory or kidney failure and, in some cases, be fatal.
Individuals most at risk for severe illness include older adults, those with weakened immune systems, or individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes or lung disease.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without special treatment. This information can provide reassurance and ease some of the anxiety surrounding the virus.
However, some individuals will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older adults and those with underlying medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer, are more likely to develop severe illness. Nevertheless, anyone can contract COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.
The virus can spread through small liquid particles from an infected person’s mouth or nose when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing, or breathe.